Find out how popular the last name Clardy is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Clardy.

Clardy, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Clardy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Clardy in America

Clardy is the 8817th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Clardy surname appeared 3,713 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Clardy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Clardy to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Clardy

The surname Clardy has its origins in England and dates back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "clard," meaning "clear" or "bright." The name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone with a bright complexion or a cheerful disposition.

The earliest recorded instance of the Clardy surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where it appears as "Clardey." This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 12th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Clardy surname was primarily concentrated in the counties of Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Warwickshire. It is possible that the name originated from a place name, although no definitive records of such a place have been found.

In the 14th century, a notable reference to the Clardy surname appears in the records of the Chancery Court of Westminster. A certain John Clardy was involved in a legal dispute over land ownership in the year 1372.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Clardy surname was William Clardy, who was born in Derbyshire in the late 15th century. He was a prominent landowner and served as a magistrate in the county.

Another individual of historical significance was Sir Thomas Clardy (1520-1591), a Member of Parliament for Staffordshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was also a prominent lawyer and served as a judge on the Court of Common Pleas.

In the 17th century, the Clardy surname gained recognition through the work of Richard Clardy (1612-1670), a renowned scholar and clergyman. He was the author of several theological works and served as the Archdeacon of Winchester.

During the English Civil War, Colonel John Clardy (1620-1678) was a notable military leader who fought for the Parliamentarian forces. He played a significant role in several battles and was later knighted for his service.

In the 18th century, the Clardy surname gained further prominence with the exploits of Captain James Clardy (1745-1821), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He was commended for his bravery and leadership in several naval engagements.

While the Clardy surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, through immigration and migration patterns.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Clardy

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Clardy.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Clardy was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Clardy has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Clardy was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Clardy, please contact us.

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